Aeroplane.



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E. D. dz J. D. FRANCIS.

ABROPLANE.

v.sxPPLIGAxlIoN FILED SEPT. 24, 1912.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

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EUGENE D. FRANCIS AND JOHN D. FRANCIS, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 6, 1914.

Application filed September 24, 1912. Serial No. 722,054.

To all whom it may concern Be it kno-wn that we, EUGENE D. FRANCIS, a citizen of Portugal, and JOHN D. FRANCIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aerial apparatus, and particularly to an aeroplane involving a fuselage, in which is mounted a propelling engine and supporting planes extending` transversely from the sides of the fuselage; means being provided for the angular adj ustment of the extending supporting planes with relation to the longitudinal axis of t-he fuselage.

It is an object of the invention to provide in an aerial apparatus a vessel or body portion of suitable form, in which may be mounted a propelling engine and suitable levers for the manipulation of the vessel, in combination with transversely extending, supporting blades or wings. The angular relation of the wings may be adjusted with relation to the horizontal plane of the body for the purpose of rendering the vessel steadier during flight, when working against winds of different velocities; the planes being adjustable to oiier greater or less resistance to the air strata.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an aerial apparatus having` running wheels which may be telescoped within the body of the vessel during flight, and which may be projected or adjusted below the body when it is desired to permit the vessel to land.

Another object is to provide an improved steering mechanism which will automatically re-adjust itself to a normal or given position as soon as the operator relieves the operating levers from pressure, so that in the event of accident due to the breakage of the cables or the control wires, the rudder would still be useful in controlling the vessel.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front end view with the body in transverse section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly broken away, with the wheels in ground running position. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of a portion of the body showing one of the wheels in telescoped position within the body of the vessel. Fig. 4 is a plan view partly broken away. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the fuselage and a part of the wing arc .and its bearing. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of one of the annular rings of the fuselage with the wing bearings and operating pinions.

'In its illustrated form our invention comprises a body portion 2, which is shown as being substantially cigar-shaped; the fuselage or framework 3 being covered with a sheathing .4 of suitable material. In the nose or forward end of the car or body are provided suitable windows 5 through which a view from the interior may be had by the operator and passengers.

`Witliin the body 2 is mounted a set of relatively independent engines 6, having 0n their shafts pinions 7 7 which may be shifted at will by suitable clutches 8 8 into mesh with a common pinion 9; the pinion 9 being secured upon a longitudinally disposed driving-shaft 10. The driving-shaft 10 is provided with a transmission gear 11 engaging and driving pinions 12 by which power is transmitted through suitable telescopic shafts 18, carrlying at their ends pinions 14, to propellers 15, on the shafts of which are mounted gears 16 meshing with the pinions 14.

One of the important features of the present in vention is in the peculiar design, construction and operation of the supporting wings or blades 17 of the apparatus. These in the present instance are shown as extending laterally from the sides of the body 2; the blades being arched longitudinally and tipping downward at their outer extremities and adjacent to the body 2. The high points of the arch are adjacent to the central parts of the wings. The wings are formed of suitable frames, with ribs 18 and under braces 19, between which are arranged circular braces 20. The inner sides of the circular braces 20 are arranged close to the sides of the body 2.

The innermost ends of the wings and their braces are substantially connected to arcuate members 21, which are shown in the detail views Figs. 5 and 6 as attached to rings 22; these rings being disposed in sets of two, one ring in one set being connected to the wing on one side of the body, while the other wing of the set is connected through the arc 21 to the ring on the opposite side of the body. There may be provided as many sets of arcs 21, with their fixed rings 22, as is desired, and in the present instance there are shown three sets of closely arranged, parallel rings 22, to which are connected, through the arcs 21, the side blades 17 Each of the Wings is thus substantially mounted on the body 2 through means of their respective arcs 21, being detachably fastened bybolts 23, or other suitable means, to their respective rings 22. These rings 22, Which mav be of channel metal, are slidable circumferentially around the body 2 in suitable guide bearings or rings 24 Which are rigidly connected to the fuselage or frame of the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1, it Will be seen that the Wings 17 are adjusted in a position with even angular relation to the body 2, and which position may be that of flight under certain or normal conditions. In the event that it is desired to descend from an altitude, or in case the vessel is negotiating in a strong Wind, then the angular position of the Wings 17 can be altered so as to bring these latter upwardly toward each other, decreasing their effective spread and thus practically accomplishing a change of the center of gravity of the apparatus as a Whole, so that the body 2 becomes more effective as a pendulum or a controlling point. This increases the stability of the apparatus and maintains its equilibrium with the supporting Wings, acting with equal pressure upon the lower strata of air, since, effectively, by lowering the point of center of gravity, by raising o1' increasing the angle of the blade 17, the tendency of the vessel to tilt is measurably decreased. The angular position of the blades 17 can readily be accomplished by means acting upon the turnable carrier rings 22, Which are shown in Figs. 5 and 6 as provided With rack portions 25, oppositely disposed to each other in the sides of the rings 22. These racks are engaged by an operating pinion 2G, mounted on a shaft 27 which is suit-ably journaled in a portion of the frame, as 28. On the inner end of the shaft there is mounted an operating gear 29 which may be turned through means of a worm or other gear 30. The gears 30, of which there is one for each set of carrier rings 22, are mounted on longitudinally extending shafts 31 in suitable bearings 32. The ease of operation and automatic locking of the pinion shafts 27 is increased and effected by providing one of the shafts 31 on each side of the vessel, as indicated in Fig. 1, and the shafts 31 can be operated simultaneously by means of a belt or other connection 32 Which can be connected for power operation by running over pulleys 33, Fig. 4, on the driving-shaft 10. A clutch 34 is provided for coupling the pulleys 33 to the shaft when it is desired to operate the shafts 1 to change the angular position of the blades 17. Manifestly, any suitable type of mechanism may be employed for transmitting power from the driving-shaft 10 to the Wing adjusting shafts 31.

It is desirable in aerial vessels to reduce the resistance to the air to the greatest possible extent. To that end it is one of the objects of our invention to provide disappearing ground wheels as 35. These Wheels are connected to suitable bearing arms or brackets 36; the forward Wheels being arranged on opposite sides of the center of the vessel and movable up into receiving pockets 37. The arms 36 of the front Wheels extend upwardly and each is surrounded by a ioating collar 33 resting upon reacting springs 39. The upright arms 36 of the front wheels are also adapted to slide through the collar 38 and the upper portions of the rods 39 are recessed, as at 40; these recesses being adapted, when the arm is lowered to project the Wheels 35, to engage vvith spring locks or detents 41 in the collars 33, so that the load of the vessel is then transmitted to the Wheels through means of the spring-supported collars 38. By forming the upper parts of the Wheel arms 36 of polygonal or rectangular cross sections, engageable with the respective levers 42, the front wheels may be turned to act as steering Wheels for the vessel. Assuming that the vessel is started by running along the ground and temporarily supported by the Wheels 35, then after equilibrium of control during flight has been accomplished, the operator can elevate the front Wheels 35 by lifting them through means of suitable elevating cables or connections 43 which are extended down into the body to a position convenient to the operator.

The rear supporting Wheel 35, Which may be mounted centrally of the vessel, is connected by a siviveling arm 3G, pivoted at 45 to the bottom of the vessel; the end of the arm 3G being provided with a suitable bearing or yoke 4G which may be drawn up into a pocket or chamber 47 in the body by means of a haul cable or connection, 43. The Wheel. is normally sustained in its lowermost position by an expansible spring 49, mounted in the pocket 47 and engageable With a pawl or latch 50 in the upper end of the yoke 46; the latch being connected' to the cable 43, so that When the Wheel is to be elevated, a pull on the cable 48 disconnects the latch 50 from engagement with the expansible spring 49 and thereby permits the Wheel to be drawn inboard.

The vertical and horizontal steering of the vessel is controlled by means of a stern rudder 51 which is universally jointed, as at 52, to the end of the vessel. The inner end of the rudder 51 has a plurality of brackets 53, to which are connected adjusting cables 54 extending inboard and winding upon respective drums 55. The drums 55 may be turned by suitable hand-wheels 56, so that the rudder 51 can be turned from right to left, or up and down, relative to the horizontal axis of the vessel.

In order to prevent disastrous accidents because of the breaking of the control cables 54, we introduce suitable automatic controlling devices, as springs 57, which are connected to the ends of the arms 53 of the rudder. The tension and eifeet of the springs 57 are such that in the event of the breakage of any of the controlling cables 54, these springs will act instantaneously and automatically to draw the rudder 5l to a central normal position, which will have the eect of rendering thev flight of the vessel more direct than would be the case if the rudder were uncontrolled. Without the automatic centering or controlling springs 57 the rudder 5l would be free to dangle absolutely useless at the end of the vessel. Then the ground wheels have been telescoped in the body the apertures of the chambers may be closed by doors 37 and then the vessel can safely alight on water.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. In an aerial apparatus, the combination with a substantially cigar-shaped body or fuselage, of transversely projecting, opposite, separate supporting wings or aeroplanes, and means for simultaneously adjusting the angular relation of the supporting aeroplanes about the longitudinal axis of the body, said means comprising spaced parallel bands encompassing the fuselage and adapted for simultaneous opposite movement and to which said aeroplanes are respectively attached on opposite sides of the fuselage and whereby they are bodily moved to vary their dihedral relation, and operating devices for the rings.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination with the body structure, of independent supporting wings extending oppositely and transversely from the sides of the body portion and adapted to be moved simultaneously upwardly or downwardly about the axis of said body to change the angular position of the planes, rings encompassing the body and movable thereonv to which said oppositely extending wings are connected, and means for simultaneously oppositely revolving the rings to change the angular position of the wings with relation to the body.

3. In an aerial apparatus, the combination with a. tubular car body, of angularly adjustable, opposite supporting Wings or blades projecting from the sides of the body, means for simultaneously raising or lowering the wings about the axis of the body to change their dihedral angle, whereby the center of gravity of the apparatus may be changed during flight to increase its stability, propelling mechanism consisting of propellers mounted on and below the blades or wings and movable therewith and adjacent to the body, and driving mechanism in the body flexibly connected to and driving said propellers.

4. In an aerial apparatus, a suitable fuselage, laterally projecting, simultaneously and oppositely angularly movable planes upon said fuselage and turnable about the longitudinal axis thereof, and propellers intermediate the front and rear edges of and mounted on and beneath said planes and movable upwardly or downwardly therewith about the axis of the fuselage.

5. A supporting means for aeroplanes comprising in combination with a body part, longitudinally arcuate, lateral planes or wings oppositely projecting from and turnable about the axis of said part, rings concentric with tlie axis of the body to which said wings are rigidly connected for angular adjustment, each of said rings and wings being respectively connected by reverse arcuate braces, and circular braces contacting and secured to braces and rings of wings, each of the wings having a propeller mounted in its respective circular brace.

6. In an aerial apparatus, the combination with a body part, of laterally projecting wings or planes, rings movable about the circumference of the body to which said wings are respectively connected, guides rigidly connected to the body and supporting said rings, and gears meshing with the rings for turning and locking the same.

7. In an aerial appara-tus, the combination with a. body part, of laterally projecting wings or planes, parallel rings arranged in contiguous sets and from which the wings project on opposite sides, the rings in a given set being adapted for reverse movement so as to carry their respective wings upwardly or downwardly about the axis of the rings, and gears meshing with the rings for operating and locking the same.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE D. FRANCIS. JOHN D. FRANCIS. lVitnesses:

GEORGE FARLEY, FRANK E. PoLK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C." 

